ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the unique aspects of transformation with regard to a wide spectrum of human cells to discover the major themes that characterize the transformation process. Neoplastic transformation is clearly a multistep process and it may involve qualitatively dissimilar events which together combine to cause cancer. The chapter aims to characterize the complete process as it occurs in the cells of one human tissue, endometrium. The entire endometrium is derived from the mesodermal germ layer. Studies of transformation of endometrial tissue can also be seen as a paradigm for cancer development in tissues of mesodermal origin. These results may be applicable to mesothelium, kidney, and ovary, as well as endometrium, which together represent a notable fraction of human cancers. Despite great effort, the complete malignant transformation of diploid normal human adult endometrial stromal cells of finite life-span could not be achieved in vitro using chemical carcinogens alone or together with tumor promoters.
